JBL Announces Streaming Studio Monitor, Budget Sub

Though Harman Luxury Audio bowed out of the show in the eleventh hour, the company embraced the spirit of CES by announcing a slate of new products for 2022, including a wireless subwoofer and studio monitor from its flagship JBL brand.

Most intriguing is the 4305P Studio Monitor ($2,200/pair), which distinguishes itself as not only the first powered streaming speaker in its reference-grade Studio Monitor series but the smallest. Slated for delivery by the end of March, the speaker mates a horn-loaded 1-inch compression driver with a 5.25-inch fiber-composite woofer in a dual ported, bass-reflex cabinet made of 0.75-inch MDF and supports wireless streaming through Google Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, and Bluetooth.

The primary speaker also houses a 300-watt Class D system amplifier that delivers 25 watts to each compression driver and 125 watts to each woofer plus a 24-bit/192kHz digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and six inputs to accommodate a variety of digital and analog sources. Asynchronous USB and optical digital inputs are provided along with a 3.5mm analog input and a combination XLR/0.25-inch TRS connector with selectable input sensitivity for use with balanced or unbalanced signals.

Selectable L/R assignment capability is provided to accommodate placement preferences and the primary speaker has front-panel controls for volume, mute, input selection, and Bluetooth pairing as well as a remote control. The system is Roon Ready and can render MQA audio files.

When operating with a wireless link between the primary and secondary (slave) speakers, the system supports resolutions up to 96kHz, which can be extended to 192kHz when the speakers are tethered via a 2-meter Digital Link cable.

Buyers of the 4305P get a free 90-day trial subscription to Qobuz along with a curated playlist of hi-res music chosen to highlight the speaker’s abilities. Finish options include natural walnut veneer with a blue grille or black walnut veneer with a black grille.

JBL also announced the SUB80P powered subwoofer ($600), which supports wireless connectivity through a built-in 2.4GHz wireless receiver and stand-alone compact transmitter that can be placed near audio components or behind a TV. Also slated for delivery by end of March, it packs a down-firing 8-inch woofer and 200-watt RMS Class D amplifier in a compact sealed enclosure.

Rear-panel controls for level, crossover bypass, phase, bass boost, and auto power are provided in addition to LFE RCA inputs and a 3.5mm 12-volt external trigger input (cables for both hookups are included). The wireless transmitter provides stereo RCA jacks for connection to source components when the subwoofer is used in wireless mode. Finish is high-gloss black.

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